The Washington critic., 1887-10-29


NJ. II. BRADY. man, u renowned
general or an actress or singer of any
fame who has appeared upon the pub
lie stage In the past fifty years whose
features have not been registered on
Brady's camera, and he was for years
the court photographer of Washington
l met him In Willard's Hotel last
night. A straight, well.made man of
about medium height, he has a face
which reminds you much of that of
Louis Napoleon. His hair Is thick
and bushy. 1t is combed well up from
the forehead, and, like his fierce mus
tache and imperial. 1t is iron gray.
He has bright blue eyes, and these
smiled through blue spectacles last
night as he told me how he succeeded
in getting Jenny Lind's picture. Said
he:
'All the dagucrreotypers of New
York were anxious to get Jenny Lind,
and all schemed for weeks before her
coming to obtain the first picture. p.
7. Barnum was opposed TO me, and he
did all he could to have her 60 else.
where. secured, however, the assist.
ance of the Swedish Consul, who was
friend of mine, and through him oh.
tanned the sitting. We commenced ar
ranging for 1t before Jenny Lind
landed, and we got her day or so after
her arrival In New York. My daguer.
reotype gallery was then on the corner
of Fulton and Nassau streets, and the
word had gotten out that / was to
take her picture. A great crowd was
gathered around the entrance to
the gallery, and 1t blocked up
the street for full square. She came
In a carriage, and was very kind in
allowing me number Of sittings. l
took all sorts of views, about dozen
in all, and when we were through
slipped her out through back door
into an alley, and she thus got away
and avoided the crowd. She was not a
beautiful woman, but her face was a
pleasant one. II was of the Swedish
order, square and red, and her eyes
were beautiful. She had CLINT of
gold In her hair under the camera, and
she took an excellent picture"
"What other noted singers have sat
for you, Mr.. Brady 2"
NEARLY every one who has sung
before the American public" was the
reply. The next noted person after
Jenny Lind was Catherine Hays, who
came here to get some of the money
which had been so lavlshly showered
upon Jenny Lind. She was q fine
singer, and after her came Soutag. l
remember Sontay's picture very we'll.
She had not handsome face. and she
was short and dumpy. Still she
looked very well on the stage. have
taken Patti number of times, and the
first time she came before my camera
she was not more than IL years old
She was thin aud homely, and showed
no signs of the beauties of form and
figure which she has now."
In speaking of the noted statesmen
he has taken Professor Brady says that
John @. Calhoun had the most remark.
able face of any man he has known.
"Calhoun's eyes" said he, "glowed
before the camera like those of the
tiger In the jungle. They looked like
balls of fire. His forehead was low
and the hair stood up on 1t like that of
Andrew jackson. He had high cheek
bones and hollow jaws, and his face
seemed the personiilcation of the intel
lectual took him but short time
before he died, and was surprised to
find the extent of his information. He
told me that he feared war between
the two sections and spoke feelingly OF
the horrors 1t would entail upon the
county,"
81 also photographed Henry Clay
several times and his head was very
remarkable one. 1t was shaped like u
sugar loaf and looked much like that
of Lamartine. His cheekbones were
high and his mouth reached from ear to
ear. Clay wore an immense collar aud
his head stood In this like an ugly
flower with a white corolla about 1t,
lie had q fair complexion, quick
rowing eyes, and no one met him with
out falling in love with him.
Speaking Of Clay's collar reminds
me of my first picture of Abraham Lin.
coin. / took 1t just after his election
when he passed through New York on
his way to Washington. / was not
pleased with the prospects Of good
picture when saw him. He was SO
tall, gaunt and angular that knew 1t
would be hard to get a natural picture
His neck was very long, and when l
got him before the camera asked him
II might not arrange his collar, which
was Just as much too little as Henry
Clay'swas too big. With that began
to pull the collar upward, aud as | did
so President Lincoln said 'Ah, | see
you want to shorten my neck That
is just what am trying to do / re.
piled, and we both laughed. The
picture bad wide sale, and Lincoln
afterward spoke of Inc as the man who
first introduced him to the people.
II have taken all the presidents since
Andrew Jackson" Professor Brady
went on. II took Jackson's picture
AT The Hermitage, just before he died,
and ! got Grant and his Cabinet dur.
ing their administration. My first
picture of Grant was taken when he
came to Washington as general. Few
people at the Capital knew him, aud
went down with the newspaper men to
Identify the great soldier for them, l
had seen his picture, but had not seen
the man. There were no officials
present 10 receive him, and | got a
carriage and we rode down Pennsyl.
vania avenue together. During the
ride | got promise from him that he
would come the next day and allow me
to photograph him. He did not come
until 4,3O, and the light was 30 bad